Six months after Otford Causeway was destroyed in a rainstorm, Wollongong City Council has announced that works to replace the broken weir on Otford Road will start in early August.
Council expects the job to take about four months to complete, if we get good weather, meaning that residents’ fears have been confirmed: the causeway may not be open in time for the official start of bushfire season on October 1.
In April Council put in a temporary crossing – used by pedestrians, cyclists and motorbikes – but this will soon be closed to residents as it will be within the construction worksite.
The day before Council shared this news, Neighbourhood Forum 1 convenor Warwick Erwin had flagged the problem with the Flame.
Warwick said that Council had committed to replacing the causeway before bushfire season, but with eight weeks to go that goal seemed unlikely.
“The question to council, as they are responsible for the Disaster Plan for the area, is what are the contingency plans for the bushfire season for not only the residents of Otford, but also Helensburgh as Otford Road has been used in the past as an evacuation path from Helensburgh,” Warwick said.
Council’s release did not mention bushfire plans. It said the replacement causeway would be able to withstand major storms and have improved features, including debris deflectors to prevent blockages during heavy rain, better line-marking and more warning signage.
“I am very proud of the team for all their hard work behind the scenes,” Wollongong City Council General Manager Greg Doyle said. “We recognise that the local community want this road repaired and reopened as soon as possible and I am sure that the completion of this work by the end of the year will be a great comfort to residents of Otford and Helensburgh.’’
While residents may welcome a new causeway, several Otford locals are wondering why it has taken so long, after one community member found a paper copy of March 2007’s WCC Works and Services Division, Civil Construction Rolling Works Program Update.
Warwick said: “On page 2 the third item under Road Ridges, Foot Bridges and Culvert Priorities is 'Otford Rd, Otford Bridge Over Hacking River to replace causeway' with an estimate of $2 million.
“This document clearly indicated that Council knew prior to 2007 that the Otford causeway needed replacement with a higher level river crossing that was not going to be a cheap solution,” Warwick said. “Are we getting the best solution or is Council taking advantage of State Government Disaster like-for-like funding to save money and give us a cheaper solution?”
A Wollongong City Council spokesperson responded to the 2007 document, saying: “Council undertook an number of investigations in 2006/2007 regarding the provision of a bridge at the Otford Road causeway. The investigations confirmed that the site was complex, was significantly impacted by floodwaters, resulting in a high level bridge solution which at the time could not be provided within the allocated budget. Council at the time, subsequently decided to proceed with other projects across the Local Government Area.”
Read Council's release here